I ❤️ Yaoi: The Phone That Rings at 1:00 a.m. by toyorutsuzuri (Free! Doujinshi)

Good morning yaoi lovers! Today's feature is The Phone that Rings at 1:00 a.m. by toyorutsuzuri.

Makoto receives a phone call from Haru early in the morning to help him with an important task...

This was definitely a different MakoHaru reading experience, but it was interesting to see these two characters in different situations instead of just at school or at the pool. This dj is a pretty quick read, so I don't want to give too much away, but from the cover alone you can tell that something very sinister happens. Give it a try!

Click here to read The Phone That Rings at 1:00 a.m.

~ M

Amber to Ashes by Cozy_coffee

Amber to Ashes by Cozy_coffee

Agron and Nasir have made it through yet another battle where many lives were lost, but the gods saw fit to spare theirs. To celebrate, the lovers make their way to the bedroom...

Wow! This is a short one-shot, but it is filled to the brim with heat and steam! It's basically one long love scene, but it will leave you tantalized and hungry for more. Cozy_coffee is able to convey not only the passion shared between Agron and Nasir, but also their great love and affection for one another. Check it out!

~ M

artwork credit: crazzzedope

Book Review: Yours All Along by Roni Loren

Devon and Hunter were the closest of friends in college and brothers in a fraternity. Even though Devon was out and proud, Hunter never seemed skittish about sharing a room with him in the frat house. His oppressive home life as the son of a conservative congressman made him eager to learn more about others different from him. Through Hunter's acceptance, the other brothers grew more comfortable until Devon's sexuality was no longer a factor.

When the two friends' relationship crosses the line between platonic and romantic, Hunter was left very confused and very scared. A bad decision leads to a horrific accident and eventually his disappearance from Devon's life. Years later, Hunter is now a successful professional baseball player and engaged...to a woman. Showing up, unannounced, at Devon's restaurant after years of absolutely no contact seems like a good idea, right?

I really enjoyed this friends to lovers story. It's full of angst, but the payoff is worth it. Both of the MCs are very likable, and I enjoyed seeing the development and, ultimately, the disintegration of their relationship. The ending left me with many questions, so I'm hoping the author will continue their story to give them proper closure.

Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

~ M 

Take Flight by bisexualkira

Take Flight by bisexualkira

When Connor has a cool watercolor tattoo of a phoenix done on his back, he can't help but admire his cute tattoo artist. He wants to know more about him, but something always comes up. Determined to see Oliver again, Connor continues to come to the shop for more tattoos. Neither Connor nor Oliver can deny their attraction any longer.

Yum! This story has sexual tension oozing from it. I loved watching the rapport between Connor and Oliver and how they so desperately wanted to give into their desires. The author did an extraordinary job of portraying the chemistry between the two men and I look forward to reading more from her fic collection.

~ M

I ❤ RN25 by Chiri Akuta (Free! Doujinshi)

Good morning yaoi friends! This week's selection is RN25 by Chiri Akuta.

Rei has come to some startling conclusions about his new boyfriend, Nagisa, and he needs to know the truth. Will Nagisa be able to assuage Rei's fears?

Aww! This is such a sweet dj! Rei, as always, is a lovable dork who allows his thoughts to get the best of him, while Nagisa is delightfully adorable and level-headed. This is a pretty quick read, but definitely worth your time. Give it a try!

Click here to read RN25.

~ M

Love Me Like You Do by HeichouAwesome

Love Me Like You Do by HeichouAwesome

Agron and Nasir are struggling to find common ground. Will they be able move past their issues and start anew?

This is an interesting one shot that gives readers a quick glimpse into the lives of Nasir and Agron. We don't exactly know what the cause of their problems is, but there are hints here and there. I don't want to give away too much of the story, so I definitely recommend that you give this quick read a try!

~ M

p.s. Did you see the picture Dan posted on FB yesterday? Very nice! =^_^=

Book Review: Speedy Rewards by Jeff Erno

Phil Mitchell manages a gas station/convenience store for a living. He's very good at his job and receives a lot of satisfaction knowing that he's providing a great service to the customers who visit Speedy Mart. However, a string of random incidents, pressure from his homophobic boss, worrying about his employees and trying to determine if he should give the hot, flirtatious customer a chance, means his job anything but boring.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this story. It was a little difficult for me to get into the story initially because there were so many characters, and readers have the daunting task of learning about each of them. I commend Jeff Erno for being able to keep everyone straight (no pun intended...because very few of them are), yet weave all of their stories together. The book didn't really start to pick up until approximately halfway through, but once it did I had to hold on to my seat!

Phil was a great character and I loved seeing the development of his relationship with Humberto. Ezra, Phil's employee, was another character I really liked. I found his particularly story fascinating, especially his relationship with his best friend, Justin. In trying to effectively tell everyone's story, I felt that some storylines didn't get enough attention. The Ezra/Justin storyline captivated me, but also broke my heart. I wanted to know more about Justin, the good-hearted lamb who always seemed to get kicked in the teeth emotionally, and more of his backstory with Ezra.

All in all, this is a solid book. It would be nice to see more of Phil, Humberto, Ezra and Justin in the future and I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

Buy links
Wayward Ink Publishing | Amazon

Wayward Ink Publishing provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

~ M

Cover Reveal: Guitars and Cages by Layla Dorine

Synopsis

Asher Logan is a bartender and a pretty wicked guitar player, when he isn’t wrecking his hands fighting in a cage. With a past he keeps hoping to outrun, Asher’s been on a downward spiral for longer than he can remember. When his sister-in-law leaves Rory, his eight-year-old nephew, in his care, Asher is forced into two things he’s never been good at: sobriety and responsibility. As he struggles to care for Rory, his own life begins to unravel.

When Asher’s brother, Alex, turns up, presenting as a girl and announcing her new name is Alexia, it further complicates matters, as does the arrival of his new neighbor, Conner. Both, in their own way, compel Asher to look at his own closely-guarded views on sexuality.

When the siblings’ older brother, Cole, reacts violently to Alexia, Asher is placed squarely in the middle of a family conflict which compels him to confront who he pretends to be versus who he really is.

Asher must choose who to trust and who to finally walk away from.

Pre-order Links

Don’t miss the Wayward Ink Publishing 1^st Anniversary Sale – 40% off all list prices!

Wayward Ink Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK
Amazon AU | Amazon DE
All Romance eBooks | Barnes & Noble

Book Trailer

To Have and to Hold by shions_heart

To Have and to Hold by shions_heart

Makoto has planned the perfect evening. He will greet Haru when he returns home, they'll have a lovely dinner and then Makoto will propose. He knows they're still pretty young, but proposing just feels right. In an effort to make the evening as smooth as possible, he enlists the help of Rei and Nagisa to take care of the ring, but was the best decision?

To Have and to Hold is a funny, fluffy one-shot that will warm your heart and have you and saying "aww" many times over. All of the Iwatobi and Samezuka characters make an appearance, and Makoto's proposal is 100% swoon-worthy. Definitely check out this quick, but very sweet, read!

~ M

I ❤️ Yaoi: What I Wished for on a Shooting Star with You by Namazakana (Free! Doujinshi)

Good morning yaoi lovers! This week's feature is another Free! doujinshi, What I Wished for on a Shooting Star with You by Namazakana.

After a misunderstanding in the rain exposes hidden feelings, Makoto and Haru are quick to take their relationship to the next level. After spending their time getting to know each other in more intimate ways, telling their friends they're a new couple is their next priority. As Makoto quickly learns, the one thing that hasn't changed is Haru's blunt personality!

This quick read is extremely sweet and fluffy. Namazakana effectively portrays the closeness Makoto and Haru in her drawings and dialogue, which made the story all the more engrossing and heartwarming. There is also so small vignette at the end of the main story that shows Haru and Makoto as little boys that I know you'll enjoy as well.

Click here to read What I Wished for on a Shooting Star with You.

~ M

Smells Like Teen Spirit by habibinasir

Smells Like Teen Spirit by habibinasir

Nasir and Agron find themselves in juvenile community service after Nasir expresses himself through graffiti and Agron's fist made itself at home in Caesar's face. At first their interactions are strained, but after a day of working together, a strong connection is forged and their lives are forever changed.

I really enjoyed this refreshing short story. I don't come across too many stories in which Nasir and Agron are teens, and even less when both of them are in trouble (usually it's Agron who can't seem to shake getting into bad situations), so seeing them both as snarky bad asses was a treat. It would be awesome if habibinasir continued this story, but Smells Like Teen Spirit is certainly great on its own. Highly recommended for Nagron fans!

~ M

New Release: No More Hiding by Renee Stevens

Synopsis

Phillip Jorgensen tried to live the straight life and ended up divorced. But he wouldn’t trade his two kids, Jacob and Samantha, for the world. His ex-wife has kidnapped them and he’s been searching for them for six long years. But he’s not giving up—never, not for anything. His twin brother has encouraged him to start living again, but how is he going to find romance with all his baggage?

When he meets Vance Pierce at the new gym, Phillip sees a chance to find some happiness.

Phillip has to explain the whole sordid mess to Vance and pray that he understands that he’ll never stop looking for his children. That’s easier said than done. Telling Vance might be risky. Is their connection strong enough to convince Vance to stay? Or will he think that Phillip is too damaged to love? This is Phillip’s chance at the life he never thought he could have. But is it possible?

Buy Links

Dreamspinner Press |  Amazon US |  Amazon UK
Amazon AU |  All Romance eBooks

New Release: Of Heaven and Hell (A Wayward Ink Publishing Anthology)

Title: Of Heaven and Hell
Authors: Kim Fielding, M.C. Rayne, Michael P. Thomas, Mann Ramblings, Asta Idonea, Eric Gober, Nephy Hart, Eddy LeFey, S.Zanne, Jana Denardo, Kassandra Lea
Genre: gay fiction, gay romance, m/m romance
Release Date: June 12, 2015
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Synopsis

Whether you like your angels and demons naughty or nice…
Whether you like them angelic or demonic, we have a story for you.
Our authors have tuned up their harp strings, and let loose their inner demons.
We have demons with inner angels itching to be let loose.
And angels teetering on the brink.
We have dark. We have light.
We have angst. And forbidden love.
We have happy endings and not so happy endings…
We have the stories OF HEAVEN AND HELL.

Buy Links

Don’t miss out on the 1^st Anniversary Sale on the WIP website – 40% off all list prices

Wayward Ink Publishing | Amazon US | Amazon UK 

Amazon AU | Amazon DE | All Romance eBooks

Book Review: Before I Wake by Eli Easton

Jonesy, a nurse's aide, finds himself drawn to assault victim, Michael, after he arrives at the hospital in a coma. The doctors and even Michael's own parents have very little hope for his recovery, but Jonesy doesn't give up. He knows there's a wonderful person behind those sleeping eyes and he's determined to help Michael become the man he once was.

I thought this was a sweet, quick read. Jonesy is a lovely man who refused to give up and kept hope alive as long as possible, even when those closest Michael refused.

If you're in the mood for a heartwarming read with a cute ending, this is the book for you!

Buy links
All Romance Books | Amazon

~ M

My Child's Teacher by jooliewrites

My Child's Teacher by jooliewrites

While drowning his sorrows on the eve of his ex's wedding, Oliver meets a hot guy who not only is physically attractive, but also funny and intellectually stimulating. The next morning they fall into a domestic routine that feels comfortable and right. However, they both know this was a one-time deal even though they agree to stay in touch. When Oliver attends his son's parent/teacher night, the last person in the world he expected to see, but couldn't get out of his mind, is his son's new second-grade teacher.

This is one of those stories that just makes me happy. It pulled me into the world of Oliver, Connor and Ryan (Oliver's son) and how they dealt with their friendship, separating business from personal and their growing feelings for one another. You will go through a roller coaster of emotions, but in a very good way. I highly recommend this one shot. You won't be disappointed!

~ M

I ❤ Yaoi: Hisho to Shachou no Himitsugoto by Narusaka Rin

Hello fellow yaoi lovers! Today's selection is Hisho to Shachou no Himitsugoto by Narusaka Rin.

Takemiya is working as a secretary for the young president, Iwase. Iwase is an amazing guy who has a huge gap. Compared to his gorgeous looks and capabilities, he’s an airhead and his honest side is totally cute! The younger secretary, Takemiya, is madly in love with Iwase and always gets led around by him, but Takemiya suddenly returns the favor by clumsily saying, “President, I want to hold you!"

I was very pleasantly surprised by this manga. It's sweet and funny with a little mystery mixed in. Iwase is absolutely adorable and I found myself really rooting for his happiness. The fact that Takemiya truly wanted to do a good job as secretary for Iwase, not only because he wants to be viewed as a competent assistant for a very powerful man, but because he really cares about Iwase. The handwriting arc made my heart flutter! I would highly suggest this manga. It leans more towards the shonen ai side right now, so those who are not familiar with yaoi or just starting out will not be shocked by anything overly explicit. There is one scene, but nothing that will make newbies feel uncomfortable.

 ~ M

Ummm...Did We Have Sex Last Night? by DarkAliceLilith

Ummm...Did We Have Sex Last Night? by DarkAliceLilith

Agron wakes up naked in Nasir's bed. What happened last night?

This is an adorable and quite funny ficlet. It's a little over 250 words, so I can't reveal too much of the story, but I definitely recommend that you take a look at it if you have a few minutes to spare throughout the day. 

~ M

artwork credit: rumi-nyo

Book Review: When Angels Fall by Z.A. Maxfield

Kipling "Kip" Rush and Chemuel (aka Crash) became friends at the tender age of 10 when Kip accidentally fell into a hole covered by rotten wood. Kip never really knew how Crash ended up in that dark hole with him, but at least he made a friend in the process.

Crash always looks out for Kip whether he needs protection, support or consoling. Through the years, Kip and Crash form a strong bond and become the best of friends. When Crash helps Kip out of a potentially terrifying situation, the two young men must come to terms with their feelings for one another and if they want to risk their already perfect relationship.

What a lovely story! The relationship between Kip and Crash is unwavering and incredibly sweet. Crash will win your heart with his blunt innocence and relentless love and adoration for his best friend. I enjoyed watching the progression of Kip and Crash's relationship, but I did have a few issues with the story.

1. The short story could have used an extra set of eyes to catch the typos that appeared here and there.
2. The time jumps were a little confusing, causing me to have to re-read passages to fully understand what was going on.
3. The ending fell a little flat. It seemed as though it was wrapped up too quickly, which left me wanting more.

All in all, this is a really sweet story and a quick read that will provide a little escapism while on the train or during a lunch break.

3.5 stars

Download for free!
Smashwords

~ M

New Release: Fool School by James Comins

Title: Fool School
Author:  James Comins
Genre: Young Adult, gay romance, historical
Length: novel
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Synopsis

In the year of our Lord 1040, fourteen-year-old aspiring jester Tom is en route to Bath to begin his studies in the art of being a Fool, following in the footsteps of his father, and his father before him.

Along the way he meets Malcolm, a fire-haired boy with eyes green as forest glass. A Scotsman who's escaped from the ravages of the usurper Macbeth, Malcolm elects to join Tom at school.

Though the journey to Bath is hazardous, it pales in comparison to what they face at the austere and vicious Fool School, where all is not as it seems. A court jester must aim to be the lowest rung on the ladder of life, and the headmaster will not abide pride.

As they journey through life?s hardships together, Tom and Malcolm find they only have each other to depend upon.

Buy Links

Don't miss the 30% discount of the Mammoth May Sale on Wayward Ink Publishing's website!

Wayward Ink Publishing
Amazon US | Amazon UK
Amazon AU | Amazon DE
All Romance Books

Book trailer

to where forever lies by MrsDK1998

to where forever lies by MrsDK1998

Although Rin and Ai have moved from being mere roommates to friends to more than friends, Ai just can't seem to utter those three special words. Rin cab feel Ai's love in every glance, giggle and kiss from his adorable boyfriend, but he still wonders what is holding Ai back.

Rin and Ai are so cute in this sweet, fluffy and heartwarming story. With each vignette, readers see the relationship progress, which eventually leads to an wonderful climax. If you're in the mood for a quick and adorable read, I highly recommend to where forever lies.

~ M

artwork credit: masa875

I ❤️ Yaoi: A Little More Until Spring by Delica (Free! Doujinshi)

Greetings yaoi lovers! This week's selection is A Little More Until Spring by Delica.

Winter seems to be colder and more brutal than ever. Much to Makoto's chagrin, Haru never wears enough layers to protect himself from the elements. Little does Makoto know that he's become Haru's own personal heater and has made winter a little more bearable for the quiet water lover.

*sigh* This doujinshi is gorgeous! Not only does the artwork have a whimsical, almost ethereal look, but the interactions between the characters, particularly Makoto and Haru, warmed me from the inside out. If you're looking for an adorable MakoHaru story to drink in on a cold, windy day (or any day for that matter), this is one for you! Highly recommended!

Read A Little More Until Spring here.

p.s. Have you read the new MakoHaru mook? If you haven't, click here for the English translation. You won't be disappointed! It's another heartwarming tale that will make you fall in love even more with Makoto and Haru. :)

~ M

My Place is Forever with You by rmowens

My Place is Forever with You by rmowens

Agron and Nasir have been friends ever since Agron's family moved in next door when they were 10 and six years old respectively. Since that day, Nasir has been in love with this big brother's good friend. Even though there is a four-year age difference, both Agron and Nasir can't help but be drawn together. As the years progress and the boys grow into young men, their feelings only strengthen, but Agron does not want to mess up, especially since Nasir is so young. Will they finally be able to declare their feelings for each other?

Oh. My. Goodness! This has to be one of the sweetest Nagron stories I've read in a long time. Seeing Nasir and Agron grow up is always a treat for me (the thought of Nasir as a little boy is just too cute), and I liked how rmowens didn't have them immediately fall in love and have everything magically fall into place. Agron and Nasir have to work for their happy ending and I loved every moment of it!

~ M